Tapping uncultured microorganisms through metagenomics for drug discovery

Natural products have been an important historical source of therapeutic agents. Microorganisms are major source of bioactive natural products, and several microbial products including antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour, immunosuppressants and others are currently used as therapeutic agents for human and  domestic animals. Most of these products were obtained from cultured environmental microorganisms. However, it is widely accepted that a very large majority of the microorganisms present in natural  environments are not readily cultured under laboratory conditions, and therefore are not accessible for drug  discovery. Metagenomics is a recent culture-independent approach that has been developed to access the  collective genomes of natural bacterial populations. It enables discovery of the diverse biosynthetic pathways encoded by diverse microbial assemblages that are known to be present in the environment but not-yet  cultured. Recently, several new bioactive molecules and proteins have been discovered using a metagenomic approach. This review highlights the recent methodologies, limitations, and applications of metagenomics for the discovery of new drugs. Moreover, it shows how a multidisciplinary approach combining metagenomics with other technologies can expedite and revolutionize drug discovery from diverse environmental microorganisms.Key words: Microbial diversity, metagenomics, natural products, drug discovery, microbial ecology

Notes on the Nesting Biology of the Small Carpenter Bee Ceratina smaragdula (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Northwestern Pakistan

The nesting biology and some foraging activities of the familiar, brilliant metallic green, small carpenter bee Ceratina (Pithitis) smaragdula (F.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) is documented from the northwestern-most extent of its natural distribution, as the species is a potentially important pollinator of leguminous and cucurbit crops in the region. Numerous nests around the village of Ismaila, Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan, were observed and sampled from Jun through Aug 2012. Nest details were recorded and foraging times on various floral species were documented, with bees preferentially nesting in wooden stalks of Ravenna grass (Saccharum ravennae L.; Poales: Poaceae), life cycles lasting 28 to 32 d, and conditions offering the potential for easy management. The importance of such studies on wild bees in Pakistan is stressed, as are the development of biotic surveys on bees and the training of regional melittologists, coupled with outreach activities. Resumen La biología de la anidación y algunas actividades de forrajeo de la pequeña abeja carpintera Ceratina (Pithitis) smaragdula (F.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) de tipo familiar y brillante color verde metálico está documentado desde el punto mas noroeste de su distribución natural, ya que la especie es potencialmente un importante polinizador de legumbres y cucurbitáceas en la región. Se observaron numerosos nidos alrededor del pueblo de Ismaila, Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincia, Pakistán, y se tomaron muestras desde junio hasta agosto del 2012. Los detalles de la anidación fueron registrados y se documentaron los tiempos de forrajeo sobre diversas especies florales, con las abejas preferentemente anidando en los tallos de madera de pasto de Rávena (Saccharum ravennae L.; Poales: Poaceae), los ciclos de vida duran de 28 a 32 dias, y las condiciones que ofrecen el potencial para un fácil manejo. Se destaca la importancia de este tipo de estudio sobre las abejas silvestres en Pakistán, igual que el desarrollo de sondeos bióticos sobre las abejas y la formación de melitólogos regionales, junto con actividades de extensión

Production of extracellular alkaline protease by new halotolerant alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. NPST-AK15 isolated from hyper saline soda lakes

Background: Alkaline proteases are among the most important classes of industrial hydrolytic enzymes. The industrial demand for alkaline proteases with favorable properties continues to enhance the search for new enzymes. The present study focused on isolation of new alkaline producing alkaliphilic bacteria from hyper saline soda lakes and optimization of the enzyme production. Results: A new potent alkaline protease producing halotolerant alkaliphilic isolate NPST-AK15 was isolated from hyper saline soda lakes, which affiliated to Bacillus sp. based on 16S rRNA gene analysis. Organic nitrogen supported enzyme production showing maximum yield using yeast extract, and as a carbon source, fructose gave maximum protease production. NPST-AK15 can grow over a broad range of NaCl concentrations (0\u201320%), showing maximal growth and enzyme production at 0\u20135%, indicated the halotolerant nature of this bacterium. Ba and Ca enhanced enzyme production by 1.6 and 1.3 fold respectively. The optimum temperature and pH for both enzyme production and cell growth were at 40\ub0C and pH 11, respectively. Alkaline protease secretion was coherent with the growth pattern, started at beginning of the exponential phase and reached maximal in mid stationary phase (36 h). Conclusions: A newhalotolerant alkaliphilic alkaline protease producing Bacillus sp.NPST-AK15 was isolated from soda lakes. Optimization of various fermentation parameters resulted in an increase of enzyme yield by 22.8 fold, indicating the significance of optimization of the fermentation parameters to obtain commercial yield of the enzyme. NPST-AK15 and its extracellular alkaline protease with salt tolerance signify their potential applicability in the laundry industry and other applications

Detecting Oxides Mineralization Utilizing Remote Sensing and Comprehensive Mineralogical Analysis: A Case Study Around Mikbi-Zayatit District, South Eastern Desert, Egypt

Undoubtedly, involving more tools, datasets, and techniques for detecting the mineralized areas sharply narrow the zones to be investigated and delivered, in most cases highly potential zones. Consequently, this study is an attempt to apply remote sensing data including Sentinel 2 and ASTER, field observations, petrography of the hydrothermal alteration processes, ore microscopic investigations, X-ray examinations, and EDX analysis to detect and emphasize mineralization types at Wadi Mikbi and Wadi Zayatit district, South Eastern Desert, Egypt. Towards accurate lithological mapping, remote sensing data, previous geological maps, and the field investigations recorded serpentinites, ophiolitic metagabbros, amphibolites, epidosite, arc-related metasediments (schists and quartzites), metagabbro-tonalite complex, dunite, olivine gabbros, and granitic rocks encountered in the study district. Additionally, various hydrothermal alteration zones have been primarily outlined using ASTER and Sentinel 2 data by implementing informative band ratios and constrained energy minimization techniques. The mineralogical studies have confirmed most of the remotely-detected hydrothermal alteration minerals. Ore microscopy, XRD technique, and EDX microchemical analysis of representative mineralized samples of the study district identified magnetite, ilmenite, titanomagnetite, chromite, magnesioferrite, quartz, apatite, clinochlore, plagioclase, pyroxene and epidote. Cross-linking remote sensing results, field observations and laboratory studies revealed that the dominant hydrothermal alteration processes include oxidization, serpentinization, carbonatization, epidotization, silicification, zoisitization, muscovitization, sericitization, and chloritization. Spatial overlay analysis of the resultant altered features, structural dissection, field observations, and analytical studies were integrated to build a mineral potentiality map of the study district

Systematic review of the safety of medication use in inpatient, outpatient and primary care settings in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries

Background Errors in medication use are a patient safety concern globally, with different regions reporting differing error rates, causes of errors and proposed solutions. The objectives of this review were to identify, summarise, review and evaluate published studies on medication errors, drug related problems and adverse drug events in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Methods A systematic review was carried out using six databases, searching for literature published between January 1990 and August 2016. Research articles focussing on medication errors, drug related problems or adverse drug events within different healthcare settings in the GCC were included. Results Of 2094 records screened, 54 studies met our inclusion criteria. Kuwait was the only GCC country with no studies included. Prescribing errors were reported to be as high as 91% of a sample of primary care prescriptions analysed in one study. Of drug-related admissions evaluated in the emergency department the most common reason was patient non-compliance. In the inpatient care setting, a study of review of patient charts and medication orders identified prescribing errors in 7% of medication orders, another reported prescribing errors present in 56% of medication orders. The majority of drug related problems identified in inpatient paediatric wards were judged to be preventable. Adverse drug events were reported to occur in 8.5–16.9 per 100 admissions with up to 30% judged preventable, with occurrence being highest in the intensive care unit. Dosing errors were common in inpatient, outpatient and primary care settings. Omission of the administered dose as well as omission of prescribed medication at medication reconciliation were common. Studies of pharmacists’ interventions in clinical practice reported a varying level of acceptance, ranging from 53% to 98% of pharmacists’ recommendations. Conclusions Studies of medication errors, drug related problems and adverse drug events are increasing in the GCC. However, variation in methods, definitions and denominators preclude calculation of an overall error rate. Research with more robust methodologies and longer follow up periods is now required.Peer reviewe

Thermal and mechanical properties of hemp fabric-reinforced nanoclay-cement nano-composites

The influence of nanoclay on thermal and mechanical properties of hemp fabric-reinforced cement composite is presented in this paper. Results indicate that these properties are improved as a result of nanoclay addition. An optimum replacement of ordinary Portland cement with 1 wt% nanoclay is observed through improved thermal stability, reduced porosity and water absorption as well as increased density, flexural strength, fracture toughness and impact strength of hemp fabric-reinforced nanocomposite. The microstructural analyses indicate that the nanoclay behaves not only as a filler to improve the microstructure but also as an activator to promote the pozzolanic reaction and thus improve the adhesion between hemp fabric and nanomatrix

Multisource Data Analysis for Gold Potentiality Mapping of Atalla Area and Its Environs, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt

In this research, airborne geophysical and remote sensing datasets were integrated for gold potentiality mapping (GPM) over the Atalla area in Central Eastern Desert, Egypt. Utilizing aeromagnetic data, detailed structural complexity maps were constructed using the center for exploration targeting (CET) procedure. Then, spectrometric gamma-ray data primarily located hydrothermally altered tracts with discriminating various rock units. The latter are precisely outlined by implementing various techniques (false-color composite (FCC), band ratio (BR), relative absorption band depth (RBD), directed principal component analysis (DPCA), and constrained energy minimization (CEM)) to ASTER, Sentinel 2 and ALOS PRISM datasets, with reference to the geological maps. The study exhibits that gold mineralization is structurally controlled by NW-SE direction. The findings of structural complexity and hydrothermal alteration (argillic, advanced argillic, phyllic, and propylitic) were used as weighted inputs for contouring gold potentiality. The resultant GPM accentuated five gold-promising zones; two are confirmed via locations of ancient gold mines, while the remaining three zones are strongly recommended for their gold potentiality

Multiscale (microscopic to remote sensing) preliminary exploration of auriferous-uraniferous marbles: A case study from the Egyptian Nubian Shield

Abstract Since their recent first record within the Egyptian Nubian Shield, auriferous and uraniferous marbles (Au = 0.98–2.76 g/t; U = 133–640 g/t) have rarely been addressed, despite not only their probable economic importance but also the fact that it is a new genetic style of gold and uranium mineralization in the Nubian Shield rocks. This is mainly attributed to the inadequate localization of these marbles within harsh terrains, as well as the cost and time spent with conventional fieldwork for their identification compared to the main lithological components of the Nubian Shield. On the contrary, remote sensing and machine learning techniques save time and effort while introducing reliable feature identification with reasonable accuracy. Consequently, the current research is an attempt to apply the well-known machine learning algorithm (Support vector Machine—SVM) over Sentinel 2 remote sensing data (with a spatial resolution of up to 10 m) to delineate the distribution of auriferous-uraniferous marbles in the Barramiya-Daghbagh district (Eastern Desert of Egypt), as a case study from the Nubian Shield. Towards better results, marbles were accurately distinguished utilizing ALOS PRISM (2.5 m) pan-sharpened Sentinel 2 data and well-known exposures during fieldwork. With an overall accuracy of more than 90%, a thematic map for auriferous-uraniferous marbles and the major rock units in the Barramiya-Daghbagh district was produced. Marbles are spatially related to ophiolitic serpentinite rocks, as consistent with their genesis within the Neoproterozoic oceanic lithosphere. Field and petrographic investigations have confirmed the newly detected Au and U-bearing zones (impure calcitic to impure dolomitic marbles in Wadi Al Barramiya and Wadi Daghbagh areas and impure calcitic marble in Gebel El-Rukham area). Additionally, X-ray diffraction (XRD), back-scattered electron images (BSEIs), and Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) results were integrated to verify our remote sensing results and petrographic investigations. Different times of mineralization are indicated, ranging from syn-metamorphism (gold in Wadi Al Barramiya and Gebel El-Rukham) to post-metamorphism (gold in Wadi Daghbagh and uranium in all locations). Based on the application of geological, mineralogical, machine learning and remote sensing results for the construction of a preliminary exploration model of the auriferous-uraniferous marble in the Egyptian Nubian Shield, we recommend a detailed exploration of Au and U-bearing zones in Barramiya-Dghbagh district and applying the adopted approach to other districts of similar geological environments

Enhancement Of Design Aesthetics for Jackets Fabrics Executed to Dobby Looms By Applying Self-similarity property in the fractal theory

Fabrics produced on fabric looms with Dobby devices play a major role in meeting the needs of consumers of woven fabrics, especially in the field of clothing fabrics. With the great technological development in these lines and their connection to computers, this gave the designer the opportunity to increase his creative and innovative ability to produce designs with values Functional and aesthetic within the limits of the number of limited textile differences in those looms.Jacket fabrics are very important for consumers to use frequently in the winter as they provide the required warmth, and given its importance and advantages, it deserves technical and Technology consideration,Whereas the design of that kind of fabrics carried on dobby looms almost typical is represented in plain,streak, and plaid designs . There are rarely simple engravings , Hence the importance of developing this type of fabric and providing a new vision by adapting some of the relevant scientific theories and applying them to the production of innovative designs with a new aesthetic and artistic vision. The most important research is Presenting a new vision for winter jacket fabric designs, Promote the use of scientific foundations and theories to obtain new and diverse designs, Take advantage of the recent developments of dobby looms to develop dobby fabric designs, and Enrich the local market with advanced products.and Objectives is Development of winter jacket fabrics executed on dobby looms, Emphasis on the adaptation of theories and scientific foundations and use in the dobby fabric design, Developing the local product to face the competition of the foreign product